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PHILADELPHIA – Cole Hamels turned sharply back to the plate, confused, and threw his arms out to his sides, his hands begging the umpire for an explanation that never came.

Buster Posey, facing a full count, had been granted first base on what appeared a third strike.

But no matter.

The Phillies ace forced Pablo Sandoval to pop out and mowed down Michael Morse to end the eighth inning on the way to a 2-1 victory against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. The result snapped a four-game losing streak and prevented the Phils from suffering their second four-game series sweep of the season.

Hamels (5-5) limited the Giants to just one earned run on six hits and one walk in eight innings. He struck out 10. It was the lefty's fourth double-digit strikeout game of the season and 27th of his career. He threw 116 pitches, 90 for strikes, and repeatedly hit 95 mph on the radar gun while lowering his ERA to 2.72. Hamels has lasted at least seven innings in each of his last seven home starts and 16 of his last 18 dating to last season.

The announced crowd of 33,258 roared its approval as he strolled off the mound.

"Sometimes when you have a little bit extra adrenaline, a little bit extra, I wouldn't say it's necessarily anger, but just to try to prove a point," Hamels said, citing the Phillies' recent struggles, "you go out there and just let it happen, and that's kind of what happened today."

Jonathan Papelbon, who had thrown 55 pitches while giving up four runs the previous two games, tossed a clean ninth for his 24th save of the season and 310th of his career, tying Hall of Famer Goose Gossage for 21st place on the all-time list.

"I definitely wanted to get back out there," he said, "and show the team I'm working hard to do everything I can to be a part of this equation to help win ballgames."

The Phillies scored the winning run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Chase Utley's one-out single to center field scored Ben Revere from second. Revere had opened the inning by reaching on a two-base error by Morse, who failed to handle a fly ball into shallow left field.

Marlon Byrd hit an RBI single to give the Phillies the lead in the first inning, after Jimmy Rollins doubled and advanced to third on a passed ball.

The Giants tied the game in the fifth, when Gregor Blanco singled, advanced to second on a Tim Hudson sacrifice bunt and scored on Ehire Adrianza's two-out single to center.

Hudson took the loss despite limiting the Phillies to two unearned runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out six in six innings.

"I love what I do. Since I only get to do it once every five days, sometimes I feel like it's not enough," Hamels said, "but at the same time, the routine that I have, I've gotten it down to where … I'm really confident that each day, I'm doing the work, putting in the time so that on that fifth day I'm able to have the results that I want."